Skip to content

Remonde confirms Arroyo’s $20,000 dinner

Inquirer update: GMA allies can’t remember much about the Le Cirque dinner because they have been to so many dinners and lunches.

le-cirquePress Secretary Cerge Remonde confirmed Saturday the $20,000 or almost P1 million dinner President Gloria Arroyo had at New York’s posh Le Cirque restaurant earlier this week during her working visit to the U.S., but said Malacanang did not pay for it.

“Yes, I was there. It was on the invitation of Cong Martin Romualdez,” Remonde said in a text message. Romualdez represents Leyte in Congress.

The New York Post on Aug. 7 reported the “good life” of the Arroyo entourage, saying the president ordered bottles of “very expensive” wine, which pushed the dinner tab up to $20,000.

Remonde’s text message in reply to my request for Malacañang’s reaction and if he was there: “Yes, I was there. It was on the invitation of Cong martin Romualdez. Malacañang did not pay for it.”

I called him up to ask more questions especially if Arroyo and the whole entourage thought of the hungry and the homeless in the Philippines but he was not answering.

Published inGovernance

140 Comments

  1. prans prans

    08 Aug 2009

    Wow naman, sarap naman nila. How’s does it taste? does the taste of the steak (or whatever food they ate) differs from the steak that you can eat in a diner or regular restaurant or at the not so expensive restaurant?

    – Where did those idiot’s get the money to pay $20,000 for that dinner?
    – What’s the occassion for?is it a fundraising campaing? and for what campaign?
    – If fund raising, where will the money go?
    – As I remember it correctly, you can have an expensive dinner for fund raising, that is why the rich people are invited or sold of the ticket for the dinner?
    – Who paid for the dinner of the band of brotherHOODLUMS?
    – The height of hyprocrisy

    You can feed a lot of malnourished Filipinos, give better education for the poor and shelter to the homeless, and yet they prefer to have a $20,000 per plate dinner in NY.

    And it happened during the wake of former President Cory Aquino.

    And Remonde confirmed it. GEEEEZZZZZZ!!!!!! I don’t know what to sat anymore.

    prans

  2. Tagwatit Tagwatit

    obviously, palusot na naman ito…

  3. Eric Reyes Eric Reyes

    Kumusta, Ellen. Itong paggastos ng P1M ni GMA para sa isang sandaliang kainan ay mahirap ngang tanggapin dahil sa malubhang sitwasyong ekonomika ng Pilipinas, at dahil din sa pagluluksa ng mga Pilipino para kay Gng. Cory Aquino, pero mas nakakadismaya ang mga nadidinig kong kuwento na yung anak niyang si Mikey ay bumili raw ng isang relo na may tatak na Patek Philippe na nasa halagang P5M! Kumuha pa daw siya ng isa pang bodyguard para lang bantayan ito. Totoo ba ito? Makukumpirma mo ba ito? Sana nga hindi totoo. Kung napakabulgar nga yung P1M na kainan ni GMA sa New York, times five po naman ang ginawa ng kaniyang panganay! Salamat po.

  4. Tagwatit Tagwatit

    grabe talaga ito, ano pa kaya ang hindi natin alam na mga extravagant, ostentatious, emildefic shit?

  5. paul paul

    the life of GMA as a simple fake president, simplicity is her motto.. simple magnakaw, pero bulgar, simple mandaya sa election, pero bulgar, napa ka simpleng walanghiya..!! kailan kaya ang katapusan ng simpleng taong eto na mandarambong..sobrang pahirap sa taong bayan..!!

  6. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    As usual. Confirmed by a malakanyang stooge but STILL denied it was paid by the ever pretentious fake, scheming, corrupt and shameless woman wanting always to be called president.

    Palibhasa’y mala sungay ng usa ang dila!

    Kahit minsan naman sana, aminin at akuin.

    Ayoko nang magmura! Nakakasawa na!

    Pero sa galit kong ito, hindi pa rin mapigilan!

    Putang ina nilang lahat na mga asal hayup sila!

    Kahit abutin ng gunaw ng mundo, HINDING HINDI kikitain ‘yung $20,000 ng katulad kong halos minimum lamang ang sinusuweldo!

  7. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    Kaming mga pobre, noong hindi pa malaya mang-agaw ng puwesto ang kampon ng kalilimang administrasyong ito, kapag pumapasok sa trabaho ay kailangang gumising nang napakaaga sa madaling araw, magbabaon kahit isang pritong tuyo’t isang kamatis para sa tanghalian, makikipag-agawang halos makipagbangasan ng mukha upang makasakay at magbibilad sa kainitan ng araw o maliligo sa buhos ng ulan sa pagtatrabaho.

    Kuntento na kami, noon, dahil tuloy tuloy ang hanapbuhay, hindi tulad sa kasalukuyan, may trabaho ngayon, ilang araw o linggong nagbibilang ng butiki sa kisame at minimemorize ang ulam dahil walang pambili. Samantalang ang mga demonyong nasa malakanyang, tuloy ang ligaya, naghahalakhakan, nag-iisip kung saan susunod na bansa magliliwaliw habang kaming mga walang wala ay naghihimas na lamang ng tiyan sa kagutuman.

    Alam namin, matatapos din ito, pagpikit ng aming mga mga mata nang hindi na muling ididilat kailanman.

  8. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    sa gutom na:

    ………noong hindi pa MALAY mang-agaw ng puwesto…

    …..pagpikit ng aming MGA mata nang hindi na ……

  9. chinita chinita

    Find out where she did her shopping. She would’ve probably spent more than $20,000.

  10. Alalahanin natin kung taga Macabebe at Lubao Pampanga ang mga Macapagal ang mga Bonifacio ay taga Masantol,Pampanga at ang mga Aquino at Cojuanco ay taga Concepcion at Paniqui Tarlac.

    Kaya ganito ang ugali ni Gloria dahil matagal na sila na nagnanakaw simula pa noong panahon ni Juan Macapagal na traydor na nagpapasasa sa mga bigay mga ng foreigners at mga pagkamkam ng lupa.

  11. patria adorada patria adorada

    puta madre!hay bastante pobreza en Filipas,kahit sinong taga gobierno walang karapatan gumastos ng halos isang milyon sa pagkain lang kung ang nasasakupan niya ay naghihikahos.at pa wine wine pa.tuba puede na kay romualdez at adidas at chicken wings kay gloria at sa mga aso niya!

  12. paul paul

    sus naman. us$20,000 ang ginastos ni ngusong GMA.. wala yan, makapal na mukha niyan, kung ilang impeachment niya e billiong piso ang ginagastos, hindi pa kasama ung mga naka sobre na pinamumudmud ni poblador sa mag alipores ng simbahang katoliko at sa inc huwag lang siyang mapababa..
    wala yan..!! NBN ZTE laki kinita nilang mag asawa, ung kay joc joc at iba pa.. wala ding nangyari.. lahat iyan kasalanan din nating mga pilipino, ayaw nating mag kaisa para mapa talsik siya, sanay na yan..tamo nga sina gen lim at kasamahan niya, sila pa ang naparusahan, at iyong mga kawatan, gaya ni esperon, palparan at iba pa, na umentuhan at naging tong gresman pa si palparan. antayin niyo, si esperon at iba pa, baka maging senador naman.. hay naku, kawawang pilipinas, sobrang ina buso..!!

  13. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Kapag tinanong si Rep. Martin Romualdez kung siya ang taya noon sa New York siyempre ang sagot niya ay OO para isalba si Gloria. Style ninyo bulok.

  14. crangplaka crangplaka

    Typical palusot…
    1. The fake president did not pay for anything.
    2. The fake president did not authorize anything.
    3. The fake president was not aware of anything.
    4. The fake president was not involved in anything.
    5. The fake president did not do anything.
    6. The fake president…did not get elected to be popular.

    What the hell does she do??????? Gising na Juan De La Cruz!!!!!

  15. Ricky C Ricky C

    Ano kaya lasa ng caviar? siguro yung ginastos sa caviar lang pang-1month na pagkain na ng 1pamilya dito sa Pinas.

    “Let us Eat and Drink; for tomorrow we shall Die” (Isaiah xxii. 13)

  16. taga-ilog taga-ilog

    Ang pinakamasarap na gastusin ay pera ng iba.

    Tanungin mo ang mga baboy sa malakanyang.

  17. parasabayan parasabayan

    Gee, whoever paid for it, it is still the money of the people! Sino ang linoloko nila na pera nila yung ginastos nila? Tell that to the marines! Masisiba ang mga buwayang ito!

  18. Magkano po ang annual salary ng ating Pangulo?

  19. laurence laurence

    baboy!!!!

    ang bababoy nyo!!!

    nung mabasa ko ito sa blog ni MLQ3 kaninang umaga gusto kong magwala sa sobrang inis!!!

    ilista nga natin kung sino yung kasama ng baboy na yan ng maghapunan sa Le Cirque..mga walaghiya!!! baboyyyyy!!!

  20. laurence laurence

    talagang kapag ganito kababoy lider mo, nakakahiya talagang maging Pilipino.

  21. totingmulto totingmulto

    That P1M spent for a dinner was not coming from the National Treasury o kaban ng bayan. That is tiyanak’s personal money… savings galing sa pagnanakaw.

  22. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    Si PANGULONG Cory, noong kanyang kapanahunan bilang pinuno ng bansa ay simple lamang ang gawi. Simpleng damit na oo nga’t masasabing mamahalin ay hindi naman magiging yagit kahit isang dukha kapag itinabi sa kanya. Sa pagkain, marahil ay ganu’n din dahil makikita’t madarama sa kapayakan ng kanyang pag-uugali. Bagama’t mayaman, isinilang na may gintong kutsara sa bibig ay hindi nagpakita ng paggiging matapobreng sarilign kasiyahan lamang ang iniisip at iniintindi.

    Itong pekeng si gloria, baliktad na ang gilagid, halang pa ang kaluluwa! Ugaling nasasalamin sa ngiting asong kahit sa pansin ng batang paslit ay hindi makakaligtas sapagkat iba ang init na madarama kapag napadikit sa kanya. Init na nagmumula sa kanyang pinanggalingan – IMPIYERNO!

  23. anon anon

    be the journalist and dig deeper to find out who is really paying for such dinners/outings. it’s usually not the OP but hangers-on and those requested to host such outings. but if this is under the invite of cong. romualdez, i hope he used money from his own pocket and not from his congressional coffers – or is that the same thing?

  24. Bayan statement:

    The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called on Malacanang to explain the $20,000 dinner tab it allegedly incurred while dining in Le Cirque restaurant in New York during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s.

    “Malacanang has a lot of explaining to do about this latest allegation which came out in an American paper. Who spent for the lavish dinner? Is it appropriate for a head of state of a Third World country like Mrs. Arroyo to wine and dine in such a manner, given that we’re in the midst of a crisis?”, asked Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

    “This is one dinner that certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth, at least for the rest of the Filipino people,” Reyes added.

    The $20,000 bill is equivalent to around P960,000 or almost a million. The group said that even if someone else paid for the tab, it still would not look appropriate. “It’s embarrassing for the Philippines to have such write-ups appear in a foreign paper. It begs the question, what is Mrs. Arroyo really doing during her trips? Are tax-payers being made to shoulder the lavish lifestyles of the so-called rich and famous?” he added.

    Reyes also pointed out that the reputation of corruption seemed to have stuck with Philippine officials, with the article even citing the case of former Armed Forces of the Philippines comptroller General Carlos Garcia who was convicted of perjury and who’s two sons were arrested in the US on charges of bulk-cash smuggling.

    “This ostentatious display of affluence reminiscent of Imelda Marcos reinforces the perception that Philippine officials are corrupt and are living it up while others wallow in crisis. It is truly disappointing and disgusting,” Reyes said.

    In a study, released in early November 2008 as part of Gallup’s World Food Day survey, 40%, or 4 in 10, Filipinos reported that they experienced hunger “often or sometimes” in the last 12 months.

  25. kabkab kabkab

    Kaya pala kung magpamudmud ng pera sa mga ASO niya ay parang barya na lamang gaya ng ipinamigay niya noon na .5M bawat isa. Dapat na talagang tigpasin ang pekeng Pangulo na ito … nagwawala na.

  26. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    So Martin Romualdez takes the heat for her. That means he will get reelected. Garci will guarantee that.

    I wonder how many of the PSG will take a bullet for her, the way the US presidential security are ready to take a bullet for the US president.

    Remember how Anwar Sadat was assassinated? It was in a parade. As he stood up to receive a lieutenant’s salute, troops opened fire and threw grenades.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhu-YgCyPz4

    So the question is, will the guards take a bullet for her, or put a bullet in her? She better ask herself that question daily; and the answer better not vary.

  27. kabkab kabkab

    Biruin niyo naman American newspaper … ipinagwagwagan kung papano gumagastos ng Pangulo ng isang mahirap na Bansa gaya ng Pilipinas. Ilang tao ang nagbabasa nitong New York Post na ito? Nakakahiya na talaga … nagwawala na talaga. Noong isang buwan lang nabalita na nagpa-ayos siya ng dodo-de-dadada ngayon naman … ay naku Glorya hindi ka talaga kagalang galang. Dapat na bumaba ka na wala ng naniniwala sa iyo kung meron man ay yong mga taong nabibiyayaan mo lang ng kuwalta. Putang ina mo ulit!!!!!!!!

  28. Gloria Arroyo,Have You Eaten Pagpag In New York?

  29. kabkab kabkab

    Nagsasaya ang mga Government Officers kasama si Glorya habang ang buong Bansa ay nagluluksa dahil sa pagkamatay ng dating Pangulong Cory …… si Willie Revillame ay gustong ipasuspende o i-ban dahil sa ginawa niya noong dinadala ang bangkay ni Pang. Cory sa Manila Cathedral …. ngayon tanong ko ano naman ang kaparusahan na ipataw natin kay Glorya at ang mga opisyales na kasama niya na nagsasaya habang tayo ay nagluluksa? Di ba mas mabigat ang kasalanan nitong si Glorya kaysa kay Willie?

  30. kabkab kabkab

    “Malacañang did not pay for it.” ….. CASH ang ibinayad nila.

  31. kabkab kabkab

    Kaya pala nagdala si Gen. Paz ng Euros sa Russia para may ibayad silang CASH pag sila’y mag-happy happy. lol

  32. kabkab kabkab

    …. dela Paz pala … sori

  33. ricopoblete ricopoblete

    di masyado pinagusapan and pag bisita ni GMA sa US
    halos di nabanggit sa mga dyaryo doon
    at nasapawan pa ni tita cory
    maybe this is one way para pagusapan sya?
    php1M dinner OMG… ilang noddles kaya yun?

  34. chi chi

    Whatever, basta nalagay sa New York Post ang halos isang milyong piso na na nai-tae na ng walang budhing si Gloria Arroyo at taga-palakpaks. Nag-blowout dahil pinagbigyan na sila ni Pareng Barak na makipaghohoy!

    Remonde, suck it!

  35. chi chi

    atty sax, I like your comment.

  36. chi chi

    Maniwala ako na si Martin Romualdez ang nagbayad ng nilamon ninyo! E kumita pa nga siya sa biyahe na yan. Idiot rason ni moron Remonde with the go of his bipolar milady lame Panduck.

    Nakakasuka kayo!

  37. concerned citizen concerned citizen

    bakit ganoon? ndi lumalabas sa local news? nakakahiya ginagawa niya, kahit sabihin na hindi government ang nadbayad, kung may konsensya siya paano niya naatim kumain sa mamahaling resto samantalang ang kababayan niya ay naghihirap dito, na mga kababayayan niya nagpapakahirap sa ibang bansa. they owe us an explanation!

  38. eddfajardo eddfajardo

    Grabe talaga itong si Arroyo. Nakakahiya ka sa buong mundo. Ikaw rin Remonde, napaka defensive ka sa iyong corrupt na amo. Para kang walang pakiramdam. I don’t know kung paano ka nakakatulog ngayon.

  39. Who is this Remonde whose name sounds more like “demon” to me. Tindi namang magsipsip ang taong iyan.

    Puede ba bago sumagot si Demonde, isipin muna niya ang sinasabi niya kasi lalo lang niyang binibisto na talagang walanghiya at kapalmuks si Gloria Unano.

    What he does not seem to realize is he is making a real brazen kapalmukhs of his amo. Pinapalabas niya na talagang walanghiya si Gloria Unano kung kumbidado lang siya pero order siya ng order ng mga alak, etc. at pinahamak pa iyong nagkumbida na pinalaki pa niya ang gastos. Talaga naman oo!

  40. Kung gusto nila, pwede nilang kainin yung kamao ko. Libre lang.

  41. Kim Kim

    Remonde’s text message in reply to my request for Malacañang’s reaction and if he was there: “Yes, I was there. It was on the invitation of Cong martin Romualdez. Malacañang did not pay for it.”—–Ellen
    ***************************

    Duuuuhhhhh. Obvious ba ? But of course Malacanang did not pay for that sumptuous meal and drinks. And neither did martin romualdez. The abused and hungry Filipinos bankrolled the amount.

    Cerge Remonde, sa dahilang ang IQ mo (if you even have one) is next to ZERO, you do not even know how to “decently” explain why you spent $20G’s in one seating. Sa aming mga pinag-nanakawan niyo ng aming pera para sa sarili niyong pagpapasarap, please do not add insult to injury. At kung hindi ma-gerts ang ibig kong sabihin, in plain simple english——FUCK YOU ! Do not ever insult our intelligence again.

  42. vic vic

    This $20 thous restaurant bill rings some bells…remember the Brown Envelopes distributed by the Palace after breakfast during the Last Impeachment attempt? Where did all those monies came from? Of course the Dinner Bill is not paid by the Palace, the same with the Brown envelopes, the Palace didn’t even know their existence…

  43. Jo Santi Jo Santi

    Sobra kapal ng mag-asawang Arroyo. Di na talaga nahihiya! Nakaka-gigil na.

  44. For the first time, Remonde told the truth. Kahit na si Rep. Romualdez ang nagbayad, bakit pumayag si GMA? Sinong maniniwala na si Romualdez ang nagbayad? It reminds us of that luxurious hotel suite in Las Vegas where Mike Arroyo stayed that cost thousands of dollars a night. Palusot din niya ibang tao ang nagbayad sa kanya. During the time of serious economic crisis, as leaders of the nation they should not show such extravagance. Puneta!

  45. Chabeli Chabeli

    Imagine, La Gloria allowed Martin to pay for the dinner???? Doesn’t Mattin belong to THAT family who killed Ninoy Aquino????????????

  46. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    Teka muna! Taym pers!

    Hindi kaya peke ‘yung $20k bills na ibinayad kaya sumingaw ito?

    Hindi nga lamang maipagsakdal dahil merong blanket of impurity, este immunity bilang kunyari ay pangulo?

    Sobrang mahiyain pala ‘yung may ari ng restoran na ‘yun. Kahit hindi siya kumita dahil peke nga ang dolyares na binayad, binawi na lang sa balita?

    Ano nga kaya?

  47. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    Whatever, ang masakit nito ay ‘yung wala na silang malasakit sa mga naghihikahos sa Pilipinas. Sige todo waldas sila ng salaping hindi kanila kundi galing sa kaban.

    Sapat na ba ‘yung mga drowing na economic progress daw? Sila lang naman ang patuloy na yumayaman habang kaming mga pobre ay kumakalam ang tiyan.

    Puwede na rin sigurong pagtiyagaan ang mga hudas na ‘yan kapag wala na talaga kaming makain. Sa gutom namin, kahit asin na lamang ang ibudbod sa mga hayup na ‘yan, huwag nang iluto, lalantakan na namin!

    Taragis na mga ‘yan! Sarap sipsipin ang mga mata.

    Remonde, LoreLIE, sa akin kayong dalawa. ‘Yang mga dila ninyo’y gagawin kong lengua afritada!

  48. 0311 0311

    “Yes, I was there. It was on the invitation of Cong martin Romualdez. Malacañang did not pay for it.” Mr. Rimonde, that was great. I know you had a good life while you were in Norway (or was it Denmark?) where your wife was from. I hope you had a good time hanging out with this Romualdez and “your president” while in New York sucking up expensive wine and gobbling some good food. Since your brain is always in your mouth, hope you’re also thinking of those starving families in Cebu. Vete al carajo con tus amigos y tu presidenta.

  49. In a city where high living is nothing special a $20,000 dinner must still be extra-ordinary because gossip columns found it worthy of talking out.

    It was not only New York Post that Arroyo’s $20,000 dinner was written about. It was also in the New York magazine.

    Just one line:

    Philippines president Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (and her wine-imbibing entourage) ran up a $20,000 tab at Le Cirque the other night

    Here’s the link: http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/08/renee_zellweger_is_dating_brad.html

    Arroyo’s meeting with Obama didn’t make it to any of the US papers. She made it, though, with her $20,000 dinner.

  50. kabkab kabkab

    “Yes, I was there. It was on the invitation of Cong martin Romualdez. Malacañang did not pay for it.” Ngongong Remonde.
    Gago hindi tinatanong ni Ellen kung sino ang nag-imbita at nagbayad sa nilamon niyo!!!!!!! PUNYETA …. UGOK

  51. In history the traitorous of macapagals(like Juan and Lazaro) are one of the reasons why the spanish had stayed here for 300 years,it is because of their treachery and they are paid for that.

    Well si Gloria mana sa mga Lolo kaya Amgirl at maluho.

  52. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Whatever happened to the claim that this was a working visit? Sabi ni Nograles, they would talk to their counterparts.

    So aside from being anointed the mouthpiece of the USA in the ASEAN, what have they accomplished? Did Nograles talk to Pelosi? Did she even have time for him?

    Does Miriam even know who her counterpart is? Ops, walang dayaan; no googling.

    Martin Romualdez is the vice chairman of the committee on banks. Did he talk to his counterpart? The Rep is from New York. Does he even know if it is a male or female?

    Si Lito Lapid? Did he meet with his showbiz counterpart Al Franken? At least Franken was a writer for the Saturday Night Live. Other than his name, what can Lito Lapid write?

    Nagkita ba sila ni Ahnold the Governator? Anyway, pareho namang pantasya ang movies nila. In real-life, yung tough guy niyang uncle (Jess Lapid, whose fame Lito benefitted from), was gunned down in a nightclub. Akala ko ba, fast on the draw?

  53. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Anak ng jueteng! Hoy ikaw Remonde, hindi issue kung sino ang nagbayad sa halagang $20,000. Maraming nagugutom sa Pilipinas. Sa mga kawatan one-time dinner lang. Tama na ang palusot ninyong panis.

  54. We never know who really paid for the bill. Baka ang mga taga Washington pa na may kapalit tulad ng mga GIs sa Pilipinas, US camps/bases at kanilang mga interest.

  55. prans prans

    08 Aug 2009

    Just curious, was it really romualdez who paid for the dinner? then my question is, where did he get the money?romualdez will say that his family is reach? my follow up question is where did the romualdez family got their money? and finally, is that martin romualdez the son of cocoy? if he is, then I rest my case.

    prans

  56. Chabeli Chabeli

    Prans, Martin is the son of Kokoy Romualdez. He bought a 400M peso home previously owned by the spanish Roxas family on McKinley Road, across from his fathers house on Palm Avenue Forbes Park.

  57. andres andres

    Nasaan na yung mga bloggers for hire ni Gloria? Ay weekend nga pala! Wala silang trabaho! Buking tuloy na bayaran! Hahaha!

  58. Kim Kim

    Mga kasama, more or less, we already know how most of us emote our feelings and how damn well we put them down in writing when we nail these emotions down. I am talking about the regular bloggers here. Kahit papaano, alam natin ang style ng bawat isa sa atin….either serious, nagpapatawa, or simply saying “hello” to everyone…..well, most of us anyway.
    Bottom line, alam natin yoong “kakaibang” style nila ng pag-sulat when they come around. And these might very well be the “mercenaries” of gloria who are out to destroy. Be very careful with these dudes. I smell a rat.

  59. tatay ni x tatay ni x

    It might have come from the pork barrel of Cong. Romualdez. Again its taxpayers money.

  60. Arroyo’s meeting with Obama didn’t make it to any of the US papers. She made it, though, with her $20,000 dinner.

    With the economic crisis everywhere, especially in the US, a 20,000-dollar-dinner, especially of people from an impoverished country, is by standard outrageous that’s why people with good common sense, etc. find it worth gossipping about or rather exposing especially by a newspaper without fear or favor.

    Dapat lang ibulgar regardless of who the crooks say paid the bill. Di na puede ang palusot ni Gloria Unano dapat!

    Patalsikin na, ngayon na! Di pa huli!

  61. …especially by a well-established internationally well-known newspaper/publication like New York Post…

    Akala kasi pirming makakaloko at makakagago!

  62. In every Gloria’s trip abroad, this Martin Romualdez is always with her. Di ko alam ang hitsura ng gago. Can someone post his pic here?

  63. Kung mayroon sa inyo na may balak suportahan itong small Dick Gordon, basahin niyo muna itong komento niya:

    Saying all presidents do it anyway, Sen. Richard Gordon on Saturday downplayed the reported $20,000 dinner of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her entourage in New York before rushing home to pay her last respects to former President Corazon Aquino.

    “Lahat ng presidente ginagawa ‘yan sa tingin ko at lahat na presidente di lang ng Pilipinas, ng buong mundo (All presidents do it and I think not just in the Philippines but everywhere),” Gordon, who is among those eyeing the presidency in 2010, said in an interview on dwIZ radio.

  64. Kim Kim

    So the question is, will the guards take a bullet for her, or put a bullet in her? She better ask herself that question daily; and the answer better not vary.——SnV
    )()()()()()()()()()()

    May dalawang eksena akong nakikita sa tanong mong ito, SAX. Una, kung biglang barilin si gloria ng mga guwardia niya, she dies on the spot (I hope). But if her guards take the bullet(s) for her and they all fall, gloria dies just the same. Bakit ? Sa takot, lahat ng mga aalalay sa kaniya ay tatakbo leaving her by her lonesome, and the would-be assassin will have an un-obstructed target

    Suma total, she is DEAD either way.

    Solution ? Kailangan meron siyang “DOUBLE” as a decoy. Hilahin niyang double si LoreLIE Fajardo, tapos talian niya sa leeg si Cerge Remonde para kunwari eh siya yoong alagang aso ni gloria.

  65. baycas baycas

    Btw, for a taste of heaven…

    DRESS: JACKET REQUIRED

    …and danilo suarez and amelita villarosa “did not want to make much of the affair” (from inquirer).

  66. Inquirer update:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090809-219377/Arroyo-dined-for-P1M-in-New-Yorkreport

    Sought for comment, some of the lawmakers who were among the President’s entourage did not want to make much of the affair.

    Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said he remembered dining with the President in a New York restaurant but added that the place did not seem “fashionable.”

    Suarez said there were probably more expensive restaurants in New York’s five-star hotels.

    “I don’t find it fashionable. The food is not bad. As for the place, the surroundings were not pretty,” he told the Inquirer.

    Deputy Speaker Amelita Villarosa said she doubted that a dinner bill during the trip could reach $20,000.

    Villarosa said she remembered dining at Le Cirque but not the details because she had several lunches and dinners during the trip.

    She said she did not think that the bill could run that high because servings were big in US restaurants and members of Ms Arroyo’s party usually shared their orders.

    Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said he missed the dinner because he came down with a cold and a cough in New York.

  67. Why should we believe these dogs barking at the same time? Kapag mga tuta, tuta din ang pagsasalita.

  68. Dodong:

    Gago pala si Gordon e. Di totoo iyan kasi iyong PM namin mahuling nagganyan, bukas na bukas din magre-resign. Expected pa ngang mag-suicie.

    Personal expenses nila di puedeng i-charge sa gobyerno, at lahat accounted for. Staff nila di puedeng mag-taxi unless necessary. Lalo pa 20,000-dollar dinner. Questionable na iyan that will necessitate investigation by the all concerned ethics committee, sabay sampa ng kaso sa Diet at korte for graft and corruption.

    Sinasabi ni Gordon iyan siguro para di siya sabunin in case he gets to be president and do similar abuses.

    Kawawang bansa, walang tulak kabigin!

  69. …mag-suicide

  70. Ellen,

    Just goes to show the kind of creeps Filipinos have been voting to their Congress not to really represent them but to abuse them.

    Nangangatwiran pa e inamin na nga ni Demonde na 20,000 dollars ang ginastos para sa pag-satisfy ng katakawan nila, nagmamaang-maangan pa. 15,000 nga lang ang unang balita mo, pero kinalkal ng NY Post ang kaso, nalaman na mas malaki pa pala ang inaksayang pera ng bayan.

    Siyempre, kunyari si Romualdez ang nagbayad ng tab, pero pagbalik ng Manila, gagawa na iyang ng reimbursement para ibalik sa kaniya ang pera from the national treasury. Puede ba, huwag na silang manloko?

    Iyong ngang mga pipitsuging kasama, gawaan na ng mga reimbursements sa totoo lang. Pati nga iyong pang-taxi para sa mga personal nila, sinisingil sa bayan with padded bills.

    Nanggago pa, talaga naman! Iniinsulto pa ang mentalidad ng mga kababayan nila. Pwe!

  71. Que maliit o hindi ang restaurant, the fact is they spent 20,000 dollars for their katakawan. Iyan ang condemnable!

    Do daw posh restaurant ang Le Cirque. Ulol! Halatang nanloloko ang unggoy e sinabi na ngang well-known posh restaurant ang Le Cirque. Puede ba humanap sila ng mauunggoy nila? Komo ba karamihan sa mga kababayan nila, cannot afford na makapunta kahit nga doon sa Au Von Vivant sa Makati, akala nila puede nilang sabihing pipitsugin lang ang Le Cirque.

    Hinay-hinay iyong from rags to riches na mga tongressmen ng Pilipinas sa pagsasabing walang class ang Le Cirque. Baka sila makasuhan ng defamation niyan.

    Pakipadala sa Le Cirque ang comments noong mga unggoy, and tell the management there kung papaano tinatangka ng mga unggoy na sirain ang magandang reputation and prestige ng kanilang restaurant (Fax: 212-644-0388).

    Pipitsugin daw ha when the minimum charge for a simple meal there is $150 for Lunch and $250 for Dinner. Sus, nanggagago pa!

  72. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Re: Inquirer article, between an admission (Remonde’s) and an opinion, which would you believe? Mukhang hindi na naman nagtugma ang mga apologists.

    Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella said he missed the dinner because he came down with a cold and a cough in New York.

    I-quarantine yan. Malakas ang incidence ng swine flu sa New York. Ikaw ba naman ang nasa eroplano ng 18 hours with the pig.

    Naiwan daw ang baboy to give his antibodies, for the development of the vaccine.

  73. jocjoc jocjoc

    I hate to say this, i can’t stand to watch this Remonde on TV, i have to turn it off. His twitching mouth is so horrible to watch.

  74. kabkab kabkab

    jocjoc,
    Di ka ba bilib dito sa PI(Putang Inang) Glorya lahat na taga pagsalita niya ay puro pang-inis. Di mo ba napansin? Yan si Mr. Obstakol(Remonde), si Mr. Nerd(Golez) at si Ms. Tapia(Fajardo). Talo inis talaga. lol

  75. Sa Tokyo nga, iyong Seryna na minimum dinner price (beef roasted on the rock) abot na ng 150$ na mas mababa sa La Cirque, considered poshy and high class na sa Japan, sa Tate pa!

    Puede ba iyong mga probinsyanong naging nouveau riche under Unano with nakaw money, huwag nang mang-insulto?! Pwe?

  76. Pinapaganda lang nila ang kanilang di naman maintindihang ingles. Iyong Demonde ba ngumingiwi pag nagsalita? Iyong amo naman niya, nakausli ang nguso pag nagsalita. Ang sakit sa tenga ng accent ng ungas. Ang tigas ng dila, kasingtigas noong kay FVR! Di pa kasi tagalugin, e. Trying hard pang maging kano di naman puede!

  77. tatay ni x tatay ni x

    a 20,000 restaurant bill befits a ruler of a third world nation. Alangan naman sa Mcdo kumain si Mam and her entourage.

  78. 0311 0311

    “Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said he remembered dining with the President in a New York restaurant but added that the place did not seem “fashionable.”

    “Suarez said there were probably more expensive restaurants in New York’s five-star hotels.”

    This guy is a classic a-hole, a typical dickhead congressman from RoP. And we wonder why there NPA’s from his province!!

  79. jocjoc – August 9, 2009 9:31 am

    I hate to say this, i can’t stand to watch this Remonde on TV, i have to turn it off. His twitching mouth is so horrible to watch.

    —Pangit na, maitim ang labi, baluktot pa mag-Tagalog at English. Is there no one that can be Press Secretary?

  80. tatay ni x tatay ni x

    i hope the filipino people would give madam another full term or make her prime minister for life, so that she can surpass the likes of Robert Mugabe. The more despotic she becomes the easier to recruit Nice People Around.

  81. AbKi AbKi

    i hope the filipino people would give madam another full term or make her prime minister for life, so that she can surpass the likes of Robert Mugabe. The more despotic she becomes the easier to recruit Nice People Around.—tatay ni x – August 9, 2009 11:25 am

    You lost me, man. So, what are you trying to say ? Kuwidaw, kaibigan. Your above post is, shall we say, a bit wobbly.

  82. passerby passerby

    gloria and her bunch of gluttonous pigs should go to hell

  83. jocjoc jocjoc

    kabkab: Ay tama ka. Parang gusto ni Glorya na mas mamatay ang mga tao sa high blood o sakit sa puso, kaya ang mga tagapagsalita niya mga weirdo. Kung hindi pangit, baliw!

  84. lito lito

    as usual, cerge remonde comes up with an alibi. in this case, he pointed to cong. martin romualdez of leyte as the one who settled the bill.

    whether it’s gloria or romualdez who paid the bill misses the point. ang daming naghihirap sa bansa, pati na rin ang constituents ni romualdez sa leyte, to spend $20,000 for a dinner.

    below is the sun.star cebu story:

    Source URL: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/palace-%E2%80%98didn%E2%80%99t-pay%E2%80%99-20000-dinner-new-york

    Palace ‘didn’t pay’ for $20,000 dinner in New York

    IT WAS Rep. Martin Romualdez of Leyte who settled the bill when he hosted dinner for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel during a recent official visit in New York City, a Malacañang spokesman said.

    A brief report that the Arroyo party paid nearly $20,000 for dinner at Le Cirque appeared in yesterday’s issue of the New York Post. At the latest exchange rate, the tab runs up to around P954,000.

    Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, however, said “not even a single centavo of government funds was spent” and that Romualdez, a nephew of Imelda Marcos, hosted the meal to celebrate his wedding anniversary.

    “As to how much the dinner costs, Malacañang does not know, as it was the host who chose the menu and picked up the tab. There was no partying. Just dinner pure and simple,” Remonde said.

    He said it was not true that the party ordered 11 bottles of Krug champagne, which according to the initial report costs $500 a bottle.

    “That’s an intrigue. That’s a lie,” Remonde said.

    He said the invitation was made immediately upon their arrival from Washington D.C., where the President met with US President Barack Obama.

    Remonde said it was a simple late dinner, with a choice of meat or fish for the main course. He said other guests can attest to this, including Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide Jr. and his wife, and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

    References to the New York Post item about the Le Cirque dinner circulated via e-mail and social networking sites yesterday, provoking comments that it was insensitive of the presidential party to attend such a lavish affair while the country was in mourning for former president Corazon Aquino.

    The total number of dinner guests could not be confirmed. Malacañang did not say whether all 28 lawmakers who joined the presidential party also attended the dinner at Le Cirque.

    The official delegation to the United States included Arroyo’s son, Rep. Diosdado Arroyo, and Reps. Edgar Chatto of Bohol, and Nerissa Soon-Ruiz and Ramon Durano VI of Cebu, the government-run Philippine News Agency reported. (EOB/With PNA)

    Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 9, 2009.

  85. What is the matter? Can we not take the word of those who are in the government to be the truth? In the same manner that GMA as well as her allies in the government have already said that the claimant is the legitimate president after they legally prevented at all cost the presentation of evidences of GMA involvement in the tampering of the 2004 presidential election results, they have already said that it was Congressman Romualdez who paid for the bill! Come on, let us trust GMA and her allies!

  86. Kalampag Kalampag

    Madali at hindi nakakahinayang gastusin ang perang kinurakot lang kaya ganon. wala silang pakialam sa mga nagugutom na pinoy hindi naman nila mararamdaman ang sakit ng tiyan.

  87. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    madaling gumasta ng usd20k kasi di nila pera, at cyempre (uli) may palusot na naman dahil “libre daw????” tongresman romualdez(certified family of crony and trapos-leyte)

    sinu-sino ba lagi nagtatakipan ng baho at sumasalo pag nagigipit ang malacanang mafia at arroyo corrupt-poration..eh di yung mga bayarang tuta din na taga-bitbit ng maleta ni queen gloria pag may official shit bwisit daw este official state visit

    si remonde sarap tampalin ang nguso,alam mo na lumulusot at nagsisinungaling kasi hiwalay yung nguso sa sinasabi niya at habang patuloy siyang nagsisinungaling ay paitim ng paitim ang nguso niya…

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  88. valdemar valdemar

    our politicians are even worse feeding on others locally.

  89. CKYeo CKYeo

    Binayaran ni Martin Romualdez yung haponan na US$20,000 indi raw pera ng bayan. Pero kahit hindi pera ng bayan, sana makonsensiya naman mga Arroyo, maraming Filipino nagugutom sa Pinas.

  90. Pamilya Arroyo, pamilya Romualdez, parehong hari ng kayabangan! Palagay ko, kung hindi lang sila lampas 26 people baka sa Masa pa yan nag-dinner. Masa kasi ang pinakamahal na resto ngayon sa Upper Manhattan almost $400 prix fixe (tama ba?) kaya lang 26 na tao lang ang kasya at Japanese food pa. Ang mga mahal na fine dining restos ay karamihan Japanese, e yung mga itsura ng mga kasama ni Putot na kulang sa urbanidad ni hindi yata marunong humawak ng chopstick.

    Si Super Sipsip asawa-ng-murderer Villarosa lolokohin pa tayo, akala ninyo sa amin ignorante? Anong big servings ang pinagsasabi niya? Sa Continental siguro pero sa French, apat a maliit na subo lang kada dish, marami na yun. Pero nadulas yata siya, malinaw sa sinabi niyang madami silang kinainan.

    Tanginanila, ilang $20K pa ba ang hindi natin nalalaman?

    Isa pa si Suarez, nagtatakip din lang, nahalata tuloy na kumakain sila ng madalas sa mas mahal na mga resto doon. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, sa Alain Ducasse sa Time Warner ang tinutumbok niya, doble ang halaga ng pagkain kesa sa Le Cirque.

    Lalo lang nabubuo ang hinala ko na mas marami pang ganito ka-lavish na kainan ang nangyari sa loob ng WALONG TAONG kakabiyahe ng grupo ni Putot, ngayon lang may nagbuko.

    Mga walanghiya!

  91. Balweg Balweg

    …sana makonsensiya naman mga Arroyo, maraming Filipino nagugutom sa Pinas?

    Kgg. CKYeo, ang manhid at walang paki sa kapwa-Pinoy eh di na tinatablan ng KONSENSIYA?

  92. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    makuwento ko lang kung paano kayabang at katakot ang mga damuho…

    minsan si kingpin pidal at queen gloria ay pumunta sa batangas for scuba diving at relaxation daw (sobrang pagod sa pagnanakaw)…2pm pa ang photo ops at scripted media pakitang-tao, pero 10am pa lang ay cordon na ang buong area,check ang tubig baka lasunin daw si gloria at yung chopper walang tigil sa ikot to check the security…ang kaso daming nagalit na batangueno kasi maski pobreng mangingisda at mag regular na ferry na dumaraan sa nasabing area ay pinahinto habang nandun ang mag-asawang hari at reyna..balik sa dati nung makaalis na ang mga damuho

    laking pera tinatapon dahil praning na nga sa takot na baka may sumalisi at mapahamak sila ang kaso pera at resources ng taong-bayan ang ginagamit nila sa mga di-kailangan luho at kaartehan nila.
    sabi nga ng mga tao dun…paanong di matatakot sa sariling multo daming ginawang kagaguhan sa bayan

    at minsan din ng kumain ang unang pamilya (ng mga baboy) sa isang resto sa tiendEsitas, cordon din ang area at di na pinapasok ang ibang customer ng nasabing resto…animoy mga hari at reyna talaga kung umasta…kapal!!!

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  93. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    magkano ba ang cash na puwedeng dalhin sa US? exempted ba sa restrictions na ito ang mga diplomats? kung exempted, ibig sabihin, talagang meron silang nasa bulsa na puwedeng waldasin. kung hindi naman, aba’y meron silang nilalabhang pera sa US.

    hindi naman natin masisisi ang mga hudas na ito dahil sanay na silang kumain ng bulok, ‘yung katas ng kanilang mga katiwalian.

    mga walanghiya talaga. daming kababayan natin ang hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses maghapon. ang mga asal hayup naman ay walang hinayang magtapon!

  94. Bukang Liwayway Bukang Liwayway

    “……Remonde said it was a simple late dinner, with a choice of meat or fish for the main course. He said other guests can attest to this, including Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide Jr. and his wife, and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita……”

    Gago! Parepareho kayong ang dila ay parang sungay ng usa, magkakaiba pa ba ang tabas?

    Kaysa mga bangaw na ‘yan, mas maige pang doon mismo sa cashier ng restoran dahil nasa kanila ang duplicate ng resibong inyong binayaran.

    Remonde, magmumog ka muna. Umaalingasaw ‘yang tae mo sa bunganga! Bili ka ng isang drum na drain remover para mawala ‘yang barang tae sa lalamunan mo, gago!

  95. boknoy boknoy

    talaga namang walang hiya yang mga opisyal na yan. e pray nyo na lang kay tita cory na bumaba sya mula sa langit at isa isa nya nang kunin ang mga tiwaling opisyal para ihulog doon sa dagat na apoy. . magaling talaga ang mga adviser ni gloria palibhasa nakikinabang din sila. . kaya dapat magising na ang mga Filipino at mag kaisa. para makawala tayo sa demonyong gobyernong ito.

  96. Sinusulit na ni Gloria ang mga natitira nyang araw sa Malacanang. Scenarios like this will be a common thing till her term ends May next year.

    Pag di pa nag aklas ang mga Pilipino before that time, God knows how much she’ll be robbing the country out of taxpayer’s money.

    Maraming street children akong nadadaanan sa araw araw na pagpasok ko sa trabaho. Kanina lang, dumaan dito sa bahay namin ang isang 11-anyos na junkshop boy para kunin ang mga bote’t dyaryo na naipon ko. Nakabihis sya ng pantalon at polo, nakapostura dahil birthday daw nya. Nangangalahig daw sya para may maipanghanda. Inabutan ko ng 20 pesos para pandagdag sa baon nya, I wished I’d have more to give him, pero wala na.

    Sana mamatay ka na Gloria.

  97. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    kaibigang belle..huwag sanang mamatay agad, makasuhan at ma-convict muna at pagbayaran lahat ng pagkakasala sa bayan, ok na siguro hard labor at 10life sentences kasama ang masisibang pamilya, mga tongresmen, mga alipores at mga yes mam/yes sir generals…at sa muntinlupa dalhin maximum security para maranasan naman nila ang ginawa nilang pagpapahirap sa ating bansa.

    sayang lang at walang putol dila dito sa atin,bago sana pasok sa munti putulan muna ng mga dila ang mga sinungaling…tapos gawa sila ng dance step (ala infamous cebu inmates) sa kantang bad ni michael jackson

    at kung umabot sila ng 10lifetime at buhay pa rin…saka na lang lethal injection…sana lang maparusahan na ng mabibigat ang mga kawatan sa gobyerno para magtanda at umayos na ang ating bansa

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  98. Reminds me of the late president Cory Aquino of her simplicity. My….does she really have to be that grandiose in a dinner and just asking… was it really not paid for using the money of the people?

    I hope you don’t mind me taking a few words from your post and linking it here. Thank you for the information.

  99. Oh well 🙁

  100. Danilo Danilo

    GMA’s way of reminding the rest, of her place in the food chain. We all know she does not deserve it. The extravagance is to rub it in on every ones face. Yep..that’s her style.

    Its the “gist” not gift, of EDSA 2. For desert, I would like GMA and her passe publicly executed.

  101. parasabayan parasabayan

    Napaghahalata ang kabaduyan ng mga ito. Marami sa kanila siguro ang hindi pa nakarating sa isang French restaurant kung hindi pa ang pera ng bayan ang gagastusin.

  102. parasabayan parasabayan

    Talak naman ng talak yung isang mouthpiece niya na palagi niyang kasama, si Brenda. If she does not approve of the boobuwit’s extravagance, eh bakit sama siya ng sama sa kanya? She is an ally but she keeps hitting the boobuwit. Hindi mo tuloy maintindihan kung tunay ba siyang kaibigan ni boobuwit or SPY! Nevertheless, she should just keep her mouth shut! She has no business talking when she is just another leech like anyone else in the entourage.

  103. Nainggit kasi hindi siya sinama samantalang ang bobong si Lito Lapid kasama sa dinner. Do you know what Lapid’s comment was? Hindi daw masarap. Paano siya masasarapan eh wala naman K iyan sa mga sikat na restaurant. He went with the trip just to have a photo up with Obama pero wala. Dapat nauna na siyang umuwi tutal matagal pa ang laban ni Pacman uli diyan. Next election, don’t vote for this Lapid whatever position he runs.

  104. Enciong Enciong

    EDITORIAL (The Daily Tribune)
    08/10/2009

    Gloria and Mike Arroyo, left to their natural selves would not take long to succumb to their greed. Likely in a fit of celebration for having succeeded in cornering US President Barack Obama or for some other domestic reasons at that time, Gloria and Mike threw out a bacchanalia right at the world’s money center New York City.

    Malacañang and some of the rapid-deploying apologists of the Palace said there was nothing wrong with the $20,000 tab, pointing out that it was not unusual for place like New York.
    It was a jack-ass reasoning since even New Yorkers were astounded by the monstrous bill enough for the tabloid New York Post to pick up the story.

    Also chief Gloria mouthpiece Cerge Remonde gave a similarly lame excuse that the feast at ritzy Le Cirque, in which he partook, was on the invitation and was paid for by Rep. Martin Romualdez, the son of former Gov. Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, the brother of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, who once controlled the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the Journal group of publications, and several banking and mining firms during martial law.

    To Filipinos who are hardly able to go through a day with a decent meal, would it matter who picked up the tab for the almost P1-million eating orgy? It remains lavishly out of this world that Gloria, who once asked the entire Filipino nation to sacrifice in bearing higher taxes on basic commodities due to a fiscal crisis she created, should have been mindful enough to beg off from such an extravagance.
    The New York blowout becomes more inappropriate since it was held at a time when the entire nation, except Gloria and her merry-making cabal, was mourning the death of former President Corazon Aquino.

    Right before the New York bash, Gloria was sending out make up messages regarding Cory’s death, declaring a 10-day of mourning while unknown to the whole nation, she and her cabal were gorging themselves in one of New York’s most expensive restaurant.
    Also, earlier on the day Cory died Aug. 1, a Saturday, she was to rush back home to hopefully make it to the country on Monday “to lead the nation in mourning” Cory’s death.
    New York must have beckoned strong enough for her to postpone all the fake grieving until Aug. 5, the day the former leader was scheduled to be buried.

    In front of Aquino’s coffin, Gloria must still have been feeling too dizzy from the partying in New York the previous night that she was only able to last seven minutes in the wake.
    Either that or her conscience was screaming for her to make a fast getaway.
    She did, to her credit, give an acceptable enough alibi that she would not want to hold up the long line of Filipinos wanting to catch a last glimpse of Cory.

    The royal bill showed an order for 11 bottles of Krug champagne priced at $510 per bottle, Osetra caviar ($1,400 for five ounces), a “Chef’s Tasting Menu” or wine paired with a dish ($4,500 for 25 orders) and a “three-course Chef’s Seasonal Menu” ($1,450 for 25 orders).

    Appetizers included Le Cirque salad 22, lobster salad “Le Cirque” 45/58, tuna, sautéed gulf shrimp, soft shell crab tempura, spring pea soup, smoked ham hock and parmesan consomme, wild burgundy escargot and torchon foie gras.

    The main courses were paupietteof black cod, halibut poached in coconut milk, dover sole, saddle of lamb and prime dry aged strip steak.

    Also ordered was a tableside for two of three pieces of whole roasted fish worth $135 and three pieces of whole roasted chicken for $117.

    The bill totaled $15,050 plus 12 percent tax and a 20 percent tip of $3,010 brought the total to $19,866.
    That’s almost P1 million just for a dinner for Gloria and her cabal.

    Imagine how much more the plunderous couple and their merry makers spent overall for the one-week US trip.

    No wonder the US reported just recently its economy is on the road to recovery.

    Big-spending Gloria and Mike were there.

  105. lito lito

    Another classic reply from Cerge Remonde in yesterday’s Sun.Star Cebu:

    ‘Remonde told reporters that President Arroyo was “not attending the wedding feast” in observance of her declaration of 10 days of national mourning for the death of former president Corazon Aquino.’

    Siguro di kasama sa 10 days national mourning ang dinner sa Le Cirque. The occasion was the wedding of the Cebu governor’s daughter.

    here’s the link for the full story:
    http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/arroyo-wants-‘-reconcile’

  106. tagairaya tagairaya

    Was Gloria celebrating because Cory died?

  107. Sa dami ng kinain sa Le Cirque, 10 araw siya hindi kakain. Is she trying to tell us she’s fasting 10 days to mourn Cory?
    Then why does she keep going around the country for some social events? Bakit, di ba siya pakakainin ng mga hosts sa pupuntahan niya? Pati ang kamatayan ni Cory ginagamit pang dahilan at kasinungalingan nitong Gloria!

  108. If our President issued ten days of mourning to our people, then why the fuck did she and her cohorts celebrate her wedding anniversary through a dinner at Le Cirque during that interval? Shouldn’t they just celebrate AFTER the days of mourning and on a different but simpler restaurant?

    That’s one of the reasons why I could dislike the Plunder Woman because she has dishonored a heroine for democracy (Former President of the Philippines Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino). She must be punished for it!

  109. I’m sorry; the occasion was the wedding of the Cebu governor’s daughter, just like Lito said on comment #112. But I don’t know when the Prexy’s wedding anniversary will take place.

  110. Richard Richard

    GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO is the WORST president of the Philippine!! The most corrupt. The greediest… including his FAMILY. Next to the Marcoses. Gloria needs to be evicted. The Filipino people needs to wake up.

  111. Richard Richard

    GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO is the WORST president of the Philippines!! The most corrupt. The greediest… including his FAMILY. Next to the Marcoses. Gloria needs to be evicted. The Filipino people needs to wake up.

  112. mahusay mahusay

    mga PUTANG INA NILANG LAHAT!! NAKAKAPANGGIGIL SILA!! alam ba nila na marami ng pilipino ang matutulungan sa ganoong halagaf!!

  113. andres andres

    I think Gloria Arroyo is the most corrupt, followed by the FVR. FVR just got away with the loot , but he stashed billions during his 6 year reign. From PEA-Amari, Clark Centennial Expo, Bonifacio Land deal, National Steel Corporation, Petron, etc….

    Ramos is just lucky he got away by co-conspiring Edsa Dos to oust Erap. He got away with his loot and at the same time projected Erap as the corrupt one, thereby shielding himself. Galing mo Tabako!

  114. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    kaibigang danilo…kung mapatunayan at talagang maysala ang mga magnanakaw dapat public execution…sana para matakot ang mga trapos at mabawasan naman ang magnanakaw sa gobyerno

    kaibigang andres…re fvr tawag dun wais lang kaya di mabuksan issue ng corruption against him and as for the most corrupt siguro apo macoy pa rin, next s queen gloria(pero kung kasama pati kurakot ng mga alipores siguro no.1) and simple pero malupet na si fvr tabako…madadala ba nila ang kayamanan nila sa hukay? si apo macoy daming bilyones pero di na nadugtungan ang buhay kaya yung nakaw na yaman pinagparte-parte na ng mga opportunist na loyalist,cronies, pati pcgg at queen gloria nakiamot na rin sa ill-gotten wealth.

    pahirap talaga mga trapos!

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  115. BALUGANGGALA BALUGANGGALA

    Ano pa ina-antay natin, PATALSIKIN si gloria at ibitin sa Plasa Miranda!!!!!!!!!

    Wow kung sinabi ni Gordon yon ay mukhang ipinagtatangol pa niya si gloria, siguro nagpapapansin alam na natin may ambisyon, well, sorry gordon, even if the surot in malacanang will anoint you, wala namang boboto saiyo maliban sa pamilya mo, Goodbye.

    Halatang nansisinungaling si remonde, what ever he says, pera ng taombayan ang ginastos doon, kaya nga maluwag sila sa pag gasta dahil di nila pera yon. Napaka-immoral, alam nyo, bagtasin nya lang ang aurora blvd, quezon blvd at mga kalye sa metro manila, makikita nya kung gaano dumami mga taong grasa, lalo na pagdating ng dilim, tabi-tabi sila bawat kanto at ano mang lilim nandon sila, tapos itong mga hinayupak na mga public servants ay nagpapasasa sa buhay.

    Yong mga viaje na yan ni gloria abroad, how many low cost housing ang mapapagawa non? Ilang sikmura ang matutugunan non at mga maysakit na mapapagaling? SOBRA NA TAMA NA, PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA !!!!!!!

    Why are we so kind to gloria? She deserves to be ousted.
    Where are the moral crusaders, the bishops, the big business groups, why does no one stand up and lead?
    Why? Why? Why?

  116. warpten warpten

    hey guys gez wat . . .oh dont gez heheh. . . gloria gloria gloria. . .gloria should’nt be her name ayt ? ? ?tell me what would be her best name . . .

  117. the corruptors the corruptors

    burn in hell GMA . . .YOU PIG . . .

  118. edward avatar edward avatar

    i dont know her well. . .i jst read the news about that $20k dinner. . .it really sucks. . .a really pain in the ass. . .

  119. Sino bang tao na may tamang pag-iisip ang matutuwa sa mga ganitong pagtitipon ng mga pulitiko na binayaran ng taongbayan?

  120. Sino ba iyong sipsip na tongressman na nagsabing pipitsugin daw iyong Le Cirque kasi maliit lang? Iyan ang tanga! Di komo maliit, no class na. Bobo! Minamani pa iyong 20,000 dollars na dinner nila ha? Bakit gaano ba kayaman ang unggoy?

  121. Enciong, I think the article refers to the supposed bill which came out in Manolo Quezon’s blog which was merely an attempt to breakdown the $20,000 into the diff meals available on the menu available in the web. Tribune was gullible enough to take it as gospel truth.

    State Sales Tax for New York is only 8.375% not 12% like our VAT. The 11 Krug bottles were likewise merely an estimate. You do not order the Tasting Menu nor the Tableside if you are ordering the Seasonal Menu. Foolish to order additional appetizers ‘cuz each set already has its own appetizer.

    How could Tribune fall for such glaring mistakes.

  122. Rodavlas Rodavlas

    Gloria Macapagal Arroyo: When will this Chaos end????? Will this end till we, common tao, has gone…nothing to…nowhere to go….. nothing at all……while YOU and your Alipores…..enjoying the luxurious life…you don’t deserve…….

    May you realize the lives of our people…those who don’t even have meal in a day…kids getting malnourished…..dying out of hungry….

    I can’t imagine…every drop of wine in your boracious mouth….it should have been saved lot of lives….if you have the mind…..and conscience….

    May you be out from your POST at the soonest possible time….till we are breathing…..you are totally nothing….. did nothing…..could not do anything …did not give anything….. but burden…..

  123. mar t. mar t.

    From pinoy in saudi, GISING PILIPINAS

  124. BALUGANGGALA BALUGANGGALA

    The ANC news this morning said that Martin Romualdez denies footing the dinner bill. ayan na, sa paikot-ikot ng mga kasinungalingan saan ba naman babagsak ang katotohanan kundi ang taumbayan ang nagbayad sa mga nilamon ng mga SUROT at LINTA sa Malacanang at kongreso.

    Isa pa, heto puputulan ng kuryente at tubig ang PGH dahil di nababayaran ang mga ito. NAPAKALIIT na budget ang nakalaan, Kung susumahin natin ang mga nagastos ni SUROT sa kanyang mga travels abroad, aba sobra-sobrang pambayad yun not to mention ang mga gamot at hospital facilities na mabibili non.

    Habang Ang mga haniyupak na pekeng opisyales natin ay viaje nang viaje at nagpapasarap kasama ang buong pamilya, heto naghihingalo ang bayan, ang mga mahihirap lalong ngahihirap.

    Napakalaking kasalanan ang kanilang ginagawa, puro kasinungalingan at pagsasamantala, dapat parusahan nang mabigat, FIRING SQUAD or BITAY SA PLAZA Miranda para wag nang pamarisan!!!

  125. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    kaibigan baluganggala…mas mainam sa manila zoo ibitin ng patiwarik, sa pugad ng mga buwaya, o mas maraming buwaya sa crocodile farm sa davao…

    buwaya sa pugad ng mga buwaya

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  126. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    o puede rin siguro yung batasan ilipat sa crocodile farm at dun na sila mag-opisina at ang crocodile farm ilipat sa batasan para naman mas maganda naman ang kanilang bagong bahay…nalilito na nga ako pero pareho din di ba?

    para pag may mga foreign tourists ay matuwa sa kakaibang tourism promotion ni sec. durano…mga hybrid na buwaya na naka-barong tagalog at amerikana pa,may mga staff at bodyguards pa at marunong magbilang ng milyones at magagaling sa mathematics…laging addition at multiplication lang ang alam hehehe

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  127. G G

    Here’s the menu.

    http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=4hr1qp&s=3

    I work my @$$ off only to get taxed every 15th day of the month. And for what? To fund their superfluous and ridiculous lives? To hell with this garbage!!

  128. ando ando

    hindi nakapagtataka na ayaw ni obama na makipagkita sa kanya. kailangan pang magmakaawa nung dwende para makamayan lamang yung bagong pangulo ng america. noong panahon ni cory ang sarap maging filipino (ako’y filipino may kasamang yabang). ngayon… nakakahiya dahil sa isang lecheng pandak.

  129. kapitan kapitan

    What kind of mindframe do they have? That the money they used to pay for that so very lavish dinner was not, and here I will sarcastically use air-quotes, paid by Malacanang, and therefore did not come from our toiled-for taxes, does not in any way justify that flamboyant show of lack of respect to the masses. Who would use that rationalization, if you could call it that at all? That actually only goes to show how very little regard they have for us who will never be able to dine in a place remotely similar to Le Cirque. To rationalize spending that much with something so shallow, so untrue and so very immoral like concern for that woman’s so-called image which apparently does not befit anything less than Le Cirque is just plain infuriating. In New York, who will care if she did not dine in the best place? Did it not occur to them that the picture of a third-world country ruler dining in a first-class, out-there place like that is even more embarrassing, is in fact the utmost embarrassment for us Filipinos? No, in fact nevermind embarassing, nevermind the impact this will have, or already had on our country’s hypothetical social reputation. Just the question of whether or not the act will go against all kinds of moral compass, just the fact that they did not seem to have considered that at all only confirms my suspicion that, well, they do not have any, moral compass that is. Or if they did, in the beginning, corruption and lust and greed for extravagant riches that, I need not mention does not belong to them has already screwed-up whatever moralistic(?) guide they have. I truly would like to sing more, air-quotes again, praises for Mrs. Arroyo but my hate for her is too complex to even put into the deepest words. I will not even try. Instead, I will summarize my feelings for her in this very simple sentence. Mrs. Arroyo, I hope you can read this: I wouldn’t piss at you if I saw you burning. Enough said.

  130. jonas jonas

    Hindi bale malapit na ang singilan. Malapit na.

  131. minimumwage minimumwage

    MGA MAKAKAPAL ANG MUKHA… MAIITIM ANG DUGO… WALANG KUNSENSYA… MGA ALAGAD NG KADILIMAN… LATAK NG LIPUNAN… AHAS NA TUMUTUKLAW SA BAWAT PILIPINO… ALIPIN NG PERA… MGA BUWITRE AT BUWAYA NG PILIPINAS… SIMULA KAY GLORIA A., SA ASAWA NYANG WLANG B****, SA ANAK NYANG C MIKEY A. NA WLA NMANG TALENT SA PAG AARTISTA PERO TODO EFFORT KHIT O.A ANG AKTING HANG. SA MGA UTO-UTO AT INUTIL NYANG MGA TAUHAN MAPASENADOR/KONGRESMAN/AT KUN SAN SAN PANG AHENSYA NG GOBYERNO NA NAKIKINABANG SA BAWAT PINAGPAGURAN NG MGA PILIPINO LALO NA NG MGA MAHIHIRAP NA TAO… MGA WLANG UTANG NA LOOB PAGKATAPOS ILUKLOK NG MGA PILIPINO GANITO PA ANG IGAGANTI NYO.. WAG SNA MAHAWA NG KSAMAAN ANG MGA ANAK NYO AT ANG MAGIGING ANAK PA NG MGA ANAK NYO DHIL PATI SILA KAMUMUHIAN NG KHIT SINO PAG NALAMANG ANAK NYO SILA! POSIBLENG NAKAKAKAIN PA KAU SA NGYON NG MASASARAP AT MAMAHALING PAGKAIN, NAKAKAPAGDAMIT NG DE TATAK NA KASUOTAN, NAKAKASAY SA MGA MARARANGYANG SASAKYAN, NAKAKALAKWATSA SA IBAT IBANG PARTE NG MUNDO, NAKAKABILI NG MGA MALULUHO AT KUN ANU ANO PANG MGA BAGAY PRO SA IMPYERNO WLA LAHAT YAN… HINTAY LANG KAYO DARATING DIN KAYO AT MAKIKILALA ANG AMO NYO SA IMPYERNO… KUN SAKALING MABASA NYO MAN TO LAM KO NMN HINDI KAU TATABLAN EH AT LALABAS LANG TO SA TENGA NYO NA PARANG TANGA LANG NA HINDI MARUNONG UMINTINDI KC NGA HINDI NA KAU TAO… TAO LANG ANG TINATABLAN… HUMINGI NMN KAU NG SORRY KAY LORD HANGGAT MY ORAS PA HABANG MALALAKAS PA KAU AT WALANG SAKIT GAYA NG CANCER..AIDS..KETONG..TB..AT KUN ANU ANO PANG MGA MALULUBHANG SAKIT!!! LAHAT KAU WLANG MATITIKMANG BOTO SA ELEKSYON.. WALANG LIMOS NA RESPETONG SASAYANGIN AT WLANG MAKIKIRAMAY PAG NAMATAY KAU GAYA NG PAKIKIRAMAY SA MGA TAONG NAKAGAWA KHIT PANO NG MABUTI SA BAYANG PILIPINAS GAYA NI CORY AQUINO…. BKA STREET PARTY PA ANG IHANDOG PAG KAYO NA ANG MGA NAMATAY!

Comments are closed.